New information added.
Luverne Public School District residents overwhelmingly renewed a 10-year excess levy referendum vote Tuesday, Nov. 5.
More than 84 percent or 498 voters supported the renewal of the excess levy for an additional 10 years; 93 voted no. The 591 total votes represented 16.7 percent of registered voters cast ballots at the single polling place at Luverne High School. The uncanvassed results are according to the Rock County Auditor-Treasurer Office.
The final results also include absentee ballots. The Luverne School Board met Monday to canvass the results.
Renewal of the Luverne school’s levy referendum continues a $763.34 per pupil or about $825,000 a year levy voters first supported in 2005. The levy monies support the required learning activities within the district. Included in those expenses are staff salaries, supplies and building upgrades.
A $1,475 per pupil referendum requested by the Pipestone Area School District failed in a vote of 889 yes and 984 no, according to the Pipestone County Auditor’s Office.
The increased levy amount would have replaced the existing $776.09 per pupil levy for the next ten years.
Each school district conducted public meetings about their specific referendums.
Luverne conducted one evening meeting on Oct. 29.
“We had not one person show up,” said Luverne Superintendent Craig Oftedahl. “Optimistically, I felt people knew what we were asking.
“Our job is to lay out the facts and I felt we had done that.”